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How to Tweak the Triangle Choke for Maximum Effect

I am amazed at how no matter how well you know a technique you can always find out something new about it.  For example, just recently I attended Sylivo Behring’s seminar.  He talked about a tweak for the triangle.  He showed us that by turning the guys head towards the hooking leg and pulling to the that same side it greatly maximizes the triangles effect.  This is in contrast to the traditional pulling down of the head.  Master Behring said that it is easier to turn someone’s head and you use less strength to do it.  It looks like this essentially opens up the arteries to more pressure.

I attempted to use it at the Scrap For The Skull but my opponent tapped out just before I was going to try it.  I hope that mean my Triangle Choke is already that effective.

Jiu-Jitsu is Life and Life is Jiu-Jitsu

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Magic Monday North South Arm Bar BJJ Technique

North South Arm Bar

I haven’t been doing as good a job of recording Magic Monday classes.  I know that those who attend enjoy being able to go over the techniques again by viewing my videos.  Work as been demanding and I’ve missed the last few.

Here I am in my black Vulkan Pro Light with Chris.  I find that when I get North South I often don’t know anything to do other then look for a better position.  This arm bar that Chris shows on me is a excellent choice for a submission from North South.

It looks a lot easier then it is at first.  The sitting back into the arm bar doesn’t feel natural in my opinion with your leg bent.  As noted, rather loudly, in the video you have to get the "squeeze" with the legs to help tighten it.  My problem was I kept letting the arm out from under my arm.  I tried to lay back and do a more traditional looking arm bar.  But as usual with repetition it came more naturally and started working for me.  I’ve been getting North South more often.  I hope to use this the next time I do.

Jiu-Jitsu is Life and Life is Jiu-Jitsu.

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The Compact Arm Bar on Magic Monday

Small Space Arm Bar

For the "Magic Moment" this week Chris shared with us a sweet Arm Bar that works well in confined, compact, or smaller spaces.  I especially like how it gives you control of your opponent even before you put the arm bar on.  I tried to use it on Blake when we rolled after.  He of course knew what I was attempting and blocked me.  Even though I was unable to finish the submission I could easily keep the collar and arm to try something else.  Yes, that is me in the black Vulkan (which I will be doing a review on this week).  Chris also demonstrates how after a failed Arm Bar you can then go for a Omoplata.  I’ve been learning that it is always good to have a back up plan.  For those of you more experienced BJJ practitioners this is old news and for the newer like myself its the frontier.  I’m learning to string together multiple submissions in order to guarantee success.

Here is a takedown-to-leg-lock we also went over:

Takedown To Leg Lock Part 1

 

Takedown To Leg Lock Part 2

I didn’t have as much success on this but I did learn something.  You need to choose your takedown in accordance with the size of your opponent.  I’m 6’2", and this isn’t very practical on someone a foot shorter then me.

Jiu-Jitsu is Life and Life is Jiu-Jitsu

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Can Opener Double Arm Bar Defense

Can Opener Double Arm Bar Defense Part 1 – JiuJitsuMap.com

 

Can Opener Double Arm Bar Defense Part 2 – JiuJitsuMap.com

We went over the Double Arm Bar in class last week.  For a guy like me with long legs it really was a eye opener.  I think I’ll have to try it more often.  KillerJ made a comment on my post, BJJ Technique Can Opener Defense, that shows a Arm Bar being used as a defense.  He said he had a hard time getting the hip movement needed for the Arm Bar.  The Double Arm Bar does require flexibility but not the hip movement of the Arm Bar.  Thank you Pat and Chris for demonstrating it.  I liked the Double Arm Bar a little better because it uses your whole body against his arms.  I also noticed that when you squeeze your leg it cuts into the sides of the opponents arms.  This calls his attention away as you grasp the arms and apply the Double Arm Bar.  It looks like it is easy to wiggle out of.  Trust me it isn’t.  Learn both of these arm bars and if one doesn’t work switch to the other.  I don’t think I’ll ever let someone get the Can Opener on me again.

Jiu-Jitsu is Life and Life is Jiu-Jitsu

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BJJ Technique – Can Opener Defense

Can Opener Arm Bar Defense

One of the first times I really got hurt in BJJ was when I under estimated the Can Opener Submission, a neck crank.  I didn’t think I was in trouble.  I figured I could bend inward enough that it couldn’t be effective.  When my neck started popping it was to late.  I then had to put up with weeks of trying to heal.  There is nothing worse then a neck strain headache too.  The basic defense I learned to combat the Can Opener was to push with both hands on the guys chin to one side.  When you push his head away and to a side they can’t get the leverage to apply the neck crank.  That worked for me but you are still providing a lot of resistance with your neck.  My neck has become very tender as of late, as has my back.  So I was very pleased to get this instruction from Pat.  I don’t want to just stop them from neck cranking me.  I want them to PAY for neck cranking me.  I don’t know why I didn’t see this.  It makes perfect sense to trap the arms and Arm Bar someone who is trying the Can Opener on you.  They won’t do it again after they tap out.

Jiu-Jitsu is Life and Life is Jiu-Jitsu

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BJJ Technique “The Giant Johnson”

The Giant Johnson

I didn’t know the name of this technique and I’m sure I embarrassed Mark some by putting his name to it.  We all know that he didn’t invent it any more then Renzo did the Triangle but I had to put some label on it.  You can’t go around calling it the cross-body-shoulder-choke.  He showed it to me so I naturally used his name in it.  I posted this one for Jesse who is learning BJJ and was kind enough to read my blog and post a comment.  Thank you Jeff and Mark for the demonstration.

I think this is a high percentage technique because I usually get it.  I think its simplicity plus the fact it doesn’t feel like something is seriously happening is what makes it so successful.

Last night in class we practiced rolling with our eyes closed.  It was a excellent training tool.  I found in some cases it made absolutely no difference to me that I couldn’t see.  I knew I relied on touch to give me feed back about what was going on in a match but I didn’t realize how much of it I was using compared to my vision.  I think I will have to try it more often.

Jiu-Jitsu is Life and Life is Jiu-Jitsu

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Developing Technique Combinations in Jiu-Jitsu

Omoplata Combinations

John B. Will blogged "Mission Control", a post about building technique combinations.  He made mention of Eddie Bravo’s system and how it has a starting point to move into different techniques and submissions.  In Eddie’s book Mastering The Rubber Guard he has a excellent flow chart that shows how it all works together.  SlideyFoot talks about Roy Dean – Purple Belt Requirements and how he teaches a combination mindset.  Rigan Machado has turned me on to some combo’s in his "RCJ Machado Jiu-Jitsu Camp 2008" DVD’s.  I must have reached a new level in my game.  All of the sudden these not only made sense but I can flow from one to the other.  Lets just say I’ve really turned on to combos.  I picked a set out and drilled it on my Submission Master Grappling Dummy.  Once I felt confident enough to teach it, I found someone at the academy to train it with.  Blake and I put in some reps together.  This helped build my confidence in using it against someone other then my grappling dummy.  I got to try it out the next class.  It went splendid.  I even got one of the submissions in the combo against Blake who knew it was coming.  I can see how memorizing single submissions, then combinations of submission can build you a network of movement.  Over time it will build in my mind like Eddie’s flow chart.

Jiu-Jitsu is Life and Life is Jiu-Jitsu.

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Fail Omoplata To Arm Bar Technique

Fail Omoplata to Arm Bar Part 1
Fail Omoplata to Arm Bar Part 2

A while ago I posted "Side Control to Omoplata".  Chris in our advanced class, last night, expanded on that technique by showing us how to get a Kimura should the attempt at a Omoplata fail.  Both of the videos show the same thing just from a different angle.  Its hard really seeing what is going on otherwise.  Thank you once again to Chris and Justin for letting me video this.  I’m not good at text descriptions.  I’m more of a visual learner.  Next time I’ll have to be the dummy.

Class went well last night and I had a fun time as usual.  I did some combo techniques that involved a lot of face contact with the gi (Arm Bar to Triangle to Omoplata).  At the end of the class my face looked like I had been sun burned from the gi burn.  I went home and applied some Gi-Burn-Be-Gone.  It is looking much better this morning and isn’t sore.  As usual though I have a few things more to heal.  We practiced the Baseball Bat Choke and I didn’t tap once quickly enough so it hurts to swallow today.

Jiu-Jitsu is Life and Life is Jiu-Jitsu.

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Side Control to Omoplata

Side Control to Omoplata

This week in advanced class we went over a very interesting way of getting Omoplata from side control or cross-body.  In the video, Chris in the white gi, demonstrates the technique on Justin in the blue gi.  I found when Chris tried it on me he had to really get the momentum going to roll me.  If he started it out with a good kick he wouldn’t have to force me over.  Before the apex of the roll if there is any resistance it is equivalent to having the Omoplata on.  So you tend to want to continue the roll feeling you can then roll again and get out of the  Omoplata.  That might work too if your opponent doesn’t grab your belt.  The other thing I noticed was that if I didn’t leave my arm open for sliding the hip over, my partner might just keep sliding back until my face is getting smashed.  I’ve never thought of trying a Omoplata from any where but guard.  With this technique I have added one more position to get it from.  Does any one know how to get it from mount?  Would it even be practical?

Jiu-Jitsu is Life and Life is Jiu-Jitsu